Oil cup



Patented Oct. 4, 1927.

*A UNITED STATES CHARLES n. LINEBARGER, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

oII. CUI?.

' Application filed October 18, 1922'. Serial No. 595,273. y

This invention relates to oil cups to f'be used for lubricating bearings, springs, ant various portions of machinery, automobiles and the like. It has for its object the production of a suitable oiling cup and a suitable mechanism to be used in connection with the cup for effectively forcing oil into the bearings. The device is what may be called a force-feed oil cup.

Of the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of an oil cup, with the cover elevated, which embodies features of my invention; Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the same; and Fig 3l is fragmental transverse sectional view ofthe oil cup.

The oil cup which I have invented comprises a body 5 having a cover 6. In Figs. 1 and-2 the covers 'are shown elevated to the position for inserting` the oil. When the cover is released it passes downwardly to the normal position resting on the cup. The

' cup also has a shank 7 which is adapted to CII be threaded into some portion of themachine. The shank may extend from the body either angularly or straight. The cup has an oil outlet 8 which is at the end of inner tube 9, the tube being fixed in the central portion of the cup in any suitable manner such as'by being forced into the shank 7 of the cup. wWithin the tube 9 is a piston element f 10 which in this instance is shown as a ball and -which is adapted to be pulled up or pushed down past an opening 11. wWhen the piston is pulled upwardly abovethe opening 11, as indicated in Fig. 2, some of the oil from the interior of the cup will -flow into the tube 9 by virtue of the Weight of the oil and the partial vacuum formed in the tube 10 by the upward movementof the piston. Then when the piston is forced downwardly either rapidly or gradually more or less of the oil in the tube 9 will be forced out through the outlet 8. The piston may be snapped down by the spring or forced down by the hand, or allowed to move down slowly under the pressure of the spring. In each case a forced feed results.

The means which I have provided for manipulating the piston 10 comprises a flexible wire 12, which, by any suitable means, such asa universal joint 13, is fixed to the cover 6, and, by means of the universal joint 14, is fixed to the piston 10. An extension spring is connected, in any suitable manner by its respective ends, with the upper end of the tube 9 and with the cover 6. When the cover is elevated the spring is extended l and when thetube v9 below the piston is -full of oil the piston may be forced downwardly I v by pushing on .the cover, or the cover may be released and the lspring will-quicklyor gradually force the piston downwardly, and the piston will thus' force'oil into the bearings according to the needs. In orderto preventthe cover from `rotating, I provide a groove 16 in the vside of the cup in Vwhich plays the inwardly projecting portion 17 of the cover. In order to prevent 'oil'from the bearings being forced up into the tube 9 when the piston 10 is elevated I provide a valve 18 having a seat 31 fixed in any suitable manner in the tube 9 and adjacent the outlet 8. A spring 19 normally holds the valve 18 closed.

I claim as my inventioni 1. An oil cup comprising a casing having a removable cover and having an oil outlet, and means in said casing for forcing oil from said casing through said outlet, said means comprising a curved tube mounted in said casing, one end of said tubebeing connected with the said outlet and the other end of said tube extending upwardly within said casing, a ball in said tube, said ball being operatively connected with said cover to move in unison therewith, and resilient means in said cup tending to hold said cover in its closed position.

2. An oil cup comprising a casing having an oil outlet, a curved tube mounted in said casing with one end connected with said outlet, a piston mounted in said tube, and flexible means positively connecting said piston with the cover of saidcup.

3. An oil cup comprising a casing having an'oil outlet, a curved tube mounted in said casing with one end connected with said outlet, a piston mounted in said tube, and flexible means connected to said piston and to the cover of said cup, said tube having an opening therethrough near the lower end of said cup, and a valve normally closing they said outlet.

4. An oil cup comprising a casing, a cover for said cup slidably mounted over one end of said casing, a shank for said cup projecting angularly from the other end of said casing,'said shank having an outlet in its end, a curved tube in said casing, one end of said tube fixed in said shank and the other end of said tube extending towards said cover, a, ball mounted inl said tube, and a said tube fixed in said shank and the othery end of said tube extending towards said cover, a ball mounted in said tube, and a exible Wire connecting said ball with said cover, said Wire having a universal joint connecting Withsaid ball. A

6. An oil cup comprising a casing, a cover for said cup slidably mounted over one end of said casing, a shank lfor said cup projecting angularly from the other end of saidl easing, said lshank having an outlet in its end, a curved tube in said casing, one end o' said tube Xed in said shank and the other end of said tube extending towards said connecting With said ball, and means for pre' venting relative rotation of said cover and said cup.

7. An oil cup comprising a casing, a cover for said cup slidably mounted over one end .0f said casing, a shank for said cup projecting angularly from the Vother end of saidv casing, said shank having an outlet in' its end, a curved tube in said casing, one end of said tubeiixed in said shank and the other end of said tube extending` towards said cover, aiball mounted in said tube, and a flexible Wire connecting said ball With said cover, said Wire having a universal joint connecting with said ball, and resilient means tending to hold said cover closed.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES E. LINEBARGER. 

